Adjustable and expansible ring or the like



May 10, 1955 w. A. STEWART ADJUSTABLE AND EXPANSIBLE RING OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 5, 1953 JZZEwgz/ United States Patent ADJUSTABLE AND EXPANSIBLE RING OR THE LIKE William A. Stewart, East Orange, N. J.

Application February 5, 1953, Serial No. 335,367

6 Claims. (Cl. 30-232) This invention relates generally to an adjustable finger ring or other body part encircling member; and, more particularly, to an adjustable and expansible finger ring for supporting a shear type cutting device subject to operative use by the wearer.

The invention, in its broader aspect, has for an object to provide a finger ring, bracelet or similar body part encircling member, the diameter of which can be adjusted to snugly fit the body part to be encircled thereby, and yet, when so adjusted, can be temporarily expanded and thus diametrically enlarged to facilitate the placing thereof upon or the removal thereof from said body part, the same being adapted to automatically resume its diametrically adjusted condition after it is released from applied expanding force.

The invention, in a more specific aspect, has for a further object to provide an adjustable and expansible finger ring adapted to encircle the forefinger of the wearer, and having mounted thereon a manipulatable shear type cutting device which is subject to operation by the opposed thumb of the wearer, thus providing a hand mounted cutting implement which the wearer can manipulate for various purposes, such as severing cord, twine and the like, picking fruit, and other similar cutting operations.

The above and other objects of this invention will be understood from a reading of the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the invention in the form of a finger ring, having a shear type cutting implement carried thereby, as mounted on the hand of a wearer, the hand being shown by broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section in part elevation, showing the finger ring as adjusted for snug fit about the forefinger of the wearer; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but showing the finger ring temporarily expended to facilitate passing the same over the finger knuckle when placing the ring upon or removing it from the finger; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is another cross-sectional view, taken on line 5-5i in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the finger ring showing the cutting implement carried thereby in plan, said view being drawn on an enlarged scale.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the form of a finger ring, and comprises a frame member which can be made of any suitable rigid material, such as metal, plastic or the like. Said frame member is formed to provide a top portion it), dependent from which is a front side portion 11. The under side of the top portion 10 and the inner side of the front side portion 11 are shaped to provide a downwardly and endwise open, substantially semicircular seating socket 12, which extends from side to side of the frame member.

2,707,828 Patented May 10, 1955 Extending into the top portion 10 of the frame member, from its rearward side toward its front side, is a chamber 13, which terminates in its front side end in a wall 14. This chamber communicates with the seating socket 12 through a slot-like opening 15, which is formed in the bottom of the frame member top portion 10.

Seated in the seating socket 12 is an adjustable and expansible ring element 16. This ring element comprises a discontinuous band of spring metal or like springy material, one end portion 17 of which extends upwardly along the inner face of the front side portion 11 and thence beneath the top portion 10 of the frame member. Said front side end portion 17 of the ring element is fixedly attached to the front side portion 11 of the frame member by screws, rivets or the like 18. The opposite or rear side end portion 19 of the ring element overlaps the extremity of the front side end portion 17 in meeting relation thereto, and so as to pass forwardly between the latter and the underside of the frame member top portion 10. Said opposite or rear side end portion 19 is laterally tapered toward its extremity (see Fig. 4), and said extremity terminates in an upstanding angular tongue 24) which projects upwardly through the slot-like opening 15 and into the chamber 13 of the frame member top portion 10.

Movable back and forth within the chamber 13 of the frame member top portion 1% is a slide piece or block 21. This slide piece or block 21, although free to be moved back and forth within said chamber 13, is held against rotative movement. It may be held against rotative movement in any suitable manner or by any suitable means; for example, that portion of the chamber 13 in which the slide piece or block 21 moves may be of rectangular cross-section and said slide piece or block then made of rectangular cross-section conforming thereto. The tongue 2% of the rear side end portion 19 of the ring element 16 is suitably aifixed to said slide piece or block 21, as e. g. by mortising the same into the latter. Affixed to the slide piece or block 21, to project forwardly therefrom, is an axially extending screwtbreaded shank 22, and also affixed to said slide piece or block, to project rearwardly therefrom, is an axially extending spindle 23. The rearwardly open end of the chamber 13 of the frame member top portion 10 is closed by suitable closure means, such as a screw plug 24 having an axial passage through which the spindle 23 may move. Mounted around the spindle 23, between the screw plug 24, or other means by which the rearward end of the chamber 13 is closed, and the slide piece or block 21 is a compression spring 25, the same functioning to exert a yieldable, forwardly moving thrust upon the slide piece or block 21.

Slidably extending through a bearing opening 26 with which the front side end wall 14 of the frame member top portion 10 is provided, to project exteriorly therefrom, is an internally screw-threaded push piece and adjusting nut 27. This push piece and adjusting nut is in threaded engagement with the screw-threaded shank 22 of the slide piece or block 21. At its inner end, said push piece and adjusting nut 27 is provided with an external annular stop shoulder 28 which, by abutment against the inner face of said end wall 14, limits outward movement thereof relative to the frame member top portion 10. Preferably but not necessarily, the inner face of said end wall 14 is provided with a countersunk seat 29 in which said stop flange 28 is received.

' In order to facilitate mounting of the slide piece or block and its associated operating means within the chamber 13 of the frame member top portion 16, said top portion is preferably provided with a removable cover member 30.

The above described finger ring structure, in use, can

be quickly adjusted to size its ring element 16 for snug fit upon a wearers finger. Said adjustment is accom-' plished by rotating the push piece and adjusting nut 27 upon the threaded shank 22 of the slide piece or block 21, whereby to move the latter forwardly in the chamber 13 of the frame member top portion 10, thus drawing forward the rear side end portion 19 of the ring element 16, whereby to constrict the latter to a diametric size which snugly surrounds the finger of the wearer upon which the finger ring structure is applied (see Fig. 2). Once the ring element 16 is thus sized to fit the wearers finger, when it is desired to either remove the same from or reapply the same to said finger, the ring element can be quickly and easily temporarily expanded, whereby to permit easy passage thereof over the finger knuckles. To thus temporarily expand the ring element 16, the push piece and adjusting nut 27 is pressed inwardly, thus moving the slide piece or block 21 rearwaroly against the tension of the compression spring 25, and thereby thrusting back the rear side end portion 19 of said ring element 16, whereby to enlarge the diametric size of said ring element (see Fig. 3). After such temporary expansion of the ring element 16, when inward pressure upon the push piece and adjusting nut 27 is released, the

spring 25 will automatically return the latter to its adjusted stopped abutment against the end wall 14 of the frame member top portion 10, and the slide piece or block 21 to its predetermined adjusted position, whereby to again contract the ring element 16 to its preadjusted, finger fitting diametric size.

Although the invention has been above illustratively described as embodied in an adjustable and expansible finger ring, it will nevertheless be understood that the structure involved may equally well be embodied in other kinds of body part encirclingdevices, such e. g.

as in a bracelet or the like.

The described adjustable and expansible finger ring is, in a more specific aspect of the invention, well adapted to serve as a means for carrying and mounting on the forefinger of a user a shear type cutting implement, so that the latter is subject to convenient manipulation by the thumb of the users hand which is opposed to the forefinger to which the finger ring is applied. To this end, the cutting implement is mounted on the exterior face of the front side portion 11 of the ring frame member, and comprises a stationary shear blade 31 affixed by its base 32 to said front side portion 11 of the ring frame member, so as to project therefrom in substantially horizontal plane. Pivotally connected with the stationary shear blade 31 is a movable shear blade 33, the cutting edge of which is opposed to the cutting edge of said stationary blade 31 for operative cooperation therewith. Said movable shear blade 33 is provided with a suitably formed and located finger piece 34, and said movable shear blade is yieldably urged to a normal out swung open relation to the stationary shear blade 31 by a suitable spring means 35. I

It will be obvious that, to manipulate the cutting im plement, the wearer of the device can apply the thumb of the hand upon which the device is worn against the finger piece 34, and, by exerting inward pressure thereon, cause the movable shear blade 33 to swing inward across the stationary shear blade 31, whereby the opposed cutting edges of said blades will cooperate to effect a shearing cut upon material entered therebetween. It will thus be understood that a very convenient cutting implement is provided which is capable of being manipulated by a single hand of the user, whereby to accomplish various cutting operations, such e. g. as severing of cord, twine or the like, clipping the stems of fruit in fruit picking operations, as well as many other cutting effects.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the kind described comprising a frame member provided with a transverse downwardly open substantially semi-circular seat, a ring element seated on said seat, said ring element comprising a discontinuous circular band having one end portion anchored to said frame member, said frame member having a chamber in the top portion thereof communicating with the interior of said seat, a slide block movable back and forth in said chamber, the opposite end portion of said ring element being attached to said slide block, and manipulatable means for adjustably shifting said slide block, whereby to expand or contract the ring element to a selectively determined diametric size, said means comprising a screwthreaded shank extending from said slide block and an internally screw-threaded nut rotatably mounted in one end of said frame member in engagement with said shank.

2. A device of the kind described comprising a frame member provided with a transverse downwardly open substantially semi-circular seat, a ring element seated on said seat, said ring element comprising a discontinuous circular band having one end portion anchored to said frame member, said frame member having a chamber in the top portion thereof communicating with the interior of said seat, a slide block movable back and forth in said chamber, the opposite end portion of said ring element being attached to said slide block, manipulatable means for adjustably shifting said slide block, whereby to expand or contract the ring element to a selectively determined diametric size, spring means to yieldably retain said slide block in adjusted position, and a manipulatable shear type cutting implement mounted on a side of said frame member.

3. A device of the kind described comprising a frame member provided with a transverse downwardly open substantially semi-circular seat, a ring element seated on said seat, said ring element comprising a discontinuous circular band having one end portion anchored to said frame member, said frame member having a chamber in the top portion thereof, a slide block movable back and forth in said chamber, the opposite end portion of said ring element being attached to said slide block, manipulatable means for adjustably shifting said slide block, whereby to expand or contract the ring element to a selectively determined diametric size, spring means to yieldably retain said slide block in adjusted position, and a manipulatable shear type cutting implement mounted on a side of said frame member, said cutting implement comprising a stationary shear blade affixed to the frame member, a cooperative movable shear blade pivotally connected with said stationary shear blade, and spring means for yieldably retaining said movable shear blade in initial out swung open relation to said stationary shear blade.

4. A device of the kind described comprising a frame member provided with a transverse downwardly open substantially semi-circular seat, a ring element seated on said seat, said ring element comprising a discontinuous circular band having one end portion anchored to said frame member, said frame member having a transverse chamber in the top portion thereof communicating with the interior of said seat, a slide block movable back and forth in said chamber, the opposite end portion of said ring element being attached to said slide block, said slide block having a forwardly extending screw-threaded shank, an externally projecting combined push piece and adjusting nut slidably and rotatively supported by said frame member at one end of its chamber and engaged with said slide block shank, stop means to limit outward sliding movement of said push piece and adjusting nut, and spring means adapted to yieldably exert forwardly moving thrust upon said slide block and said push piece and adjusting nut connected therewith, rotative manipulation of said push piece and adjusting nut being operative to adjustably shift the slide block, whereby to expand or contract the ring element to a relatively predetermined diametric size.

5. A device of the kind described comprising a frame member provided with a transverse downwardly open substantially semi-circular seat, a ring clement seated on said seat, said ring element comprising a discontinuous circular band having one end portion anchored to said frame member, said frame member having a transverse chamber in the top portion thereof communicating with the interior of said seat, a slide block movable back and forth in said chamber, the opposite end portion of said ring element being attached to said slide block, said slide block having a forwardly extending screw-threaded shank, an externally projecting combined push piece and adjusting nut slidably and rotatively supported by said frame member at one end of its chamber and engaged with said slide block shank, stop means to limit outward sliding movement of said push piece and adjusting nut, spring means adapted to yieldably exert forwardly moving thrust upon said slide block and said push piece and adjusting nut connected therewith, rotative manipulation of said push piece and adjusting nut being operative to adjustably shift the slide block, whereby to expand or contract the ring element to a selectively predetermined diametric size, and a manipulatable shear type cutting implement mounted on the forward outer side of said frame member.

6. A device of the kind described comprising a frame member provided with a transverse downwardly open substantially semi-circular seat, a ring element seated on said seat, said ring element comprising a discontinuous circular band having one end portion anchored to said frame member, said frame member having a transverse chamber in the top portion thereof communicating with the interior of said seat, a slide block movable back and forth in said chamber, the opposite end portion of said ring element being attached to said slide block, said slide block having a forwardly extending screw-threaded shank, an externally projecting combined push piece and adjusting nut slidably and rotatively supported by said frame member at one end of its chamber and engaged with said slide block shank, stop means to limit outward sliding movement of said push piece and adjusting nut, spring means adapted to yieldably exert forwardly moving thrust upon said slide block and said push piece and adjusting nut connected therewith, rotative manipulation of said push piece and adjusting nut being operative to adjustably shift the slide block, whereby to expand or contract the ring element to a selectively predetermined diametric size, and a manipulatable shear type cutting implement mounted on the forward outer side of said frame member, said cutting implement comprising a stationary shear blade affixed to the frame member, a cooperative movable shear blade pivotally connected with said stationary shear blade, and spring means for yieldably retaining said movable shear blade in initial out swung open relation to said stationary shear blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 257,023 La Grange Apr. 25, 1882 1,079,489 Higharn Nov. 25, 1913 1,165,697 Morrell Dec. 28, 1915 

